My brother Danny needs some rice paddy hats for some kids who are going to ride on a Christmas parade float back in the States. I'm in Japan. Should be easy to find a whole bunch of them here, but I'm not having any luck. I have come across kimonos of all sizes, samurai swords, geta sandals, ninja outfits, tanto daggers, ornate ear pickers and some very mean-looking chopsticks, but no rice paddy hats. Every couple of days I take some time to go into town and peek into every shop, large and small, hoping to strike pay dirt. These have become walks of discovery and I have come to learn that there are two Yokosukas; the modern one with high rises, multi-tiered shopping centers and noisy six lane thoroughfares, and the simpler one of quiet alleys that wind up knolls peppered with little houses that cling to the hillside like ornaments on the holiday tree. There are neighborhoods with small bakeries, produce stands, and 200-square-foot grocery shops with barely enough room for a half-dozen customers. Still, I can't zero in on those rice paddy hats.
Since the fist time I took a walk down Blue Street I was impressed with the Japanese people's attention to personal appearance. What a well-attired population; young, old and nearly everything in between. I could spend a whole day just snapping pictures of the typically dressed crowds of citizens going about their business. Occasionally, you have a stand-out who marches to a different drummer, but for the most part it is a very attractive population.
Within walking distance of the Main Gate I've come across about a dozen shrines and temples. There is even a small shrine just off the sidewalk on Dobuita Street, a lively artery better known for distilled spirits than for those of the Shinto variety. A Buddhist temple on my map labeled Ryotyoin posted a large sign at its entrance that read in large English print OFF LIMITS TO MILITARY PERSONNEL. There's a story there somewhere.I just noticed I'm wearing the same shirt I wore on Sunday. That means I have to wash less often or buy more shirts.
